What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On March 19, 2006 N8783E, a Bombardier CL-600-2B19, operated by pinnacle airlines inc., departed Asheville NC airport with a destination of covington, Kentucky. While climbing through 17,000 feet the captain smelled smoke. A few seconds later the captain noticed flames and smoke coming from the lower left windshield. The pilot believed it was the windshield heat unit so the first officer turned off the windshield heat. The flames went out but there was still smoke. The captain declared an emergency and returned to Asheville airport. The airplane landed safely, taxied to the gate, and the passengers were expeditiously deplaned with no incidents. Examination of the aircraft found scorching and soot on the windshield near the terminal block. The windshield, windshield heat controller, and circuit breakers were replaced.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON MARCH 19, 2006 N8783E, A BOMBARDIER CL-600-2B19, OPERATED BY PINNACLE AIRLINES INC., DEPARTED ASHEVILLE NC AIRPORT WITH A DESTINATION OF COVINGTON, KENTUCKY. WHILE CLIMBING THROUGH 17,000 FEET THE CAPTAIN SMELLED SMOKE. A FEW SECONDS LATER THE CAPTAIN NOTICED FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM THE LOWER LEFT WINDSHIELD. THE PILOT BELIEVED IT WAS THE WINDSHIELD HEAT UNIT SO THE FIRST OFFICER TURNED OFF THE WINDSHIELD HEAT. THE FLAMES WENT OUT BUT THERE WAS STILL SMOKE. THE CAPTAIN DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND RETURNED TO ASHEVILLE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE LANDED SAFELY, TAXIED TO THE GATE, AND THE PASSENGERS WERE EXPEDITIOUSLY DEPLANED WITH NO INCIDENTS. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FOUND SCORCHING AND SOOT ON THE WINDSHIELD NEAR THE TERMINAL BLOCK. THE WINDSHIELD, WINDSHIELD HEAT CONTROLLER, AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE REPLACED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8783E · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.